The letter Mahatma Gandhi wrote to Hitler: What did it actually say?
Mahatma Gandhi wrote two historic letters to Adolf Hitler in 1939 and 1940, addressing him as “Dear Friend.” He urged him to prevent war and condemned his monstrous acts, though British authorities intercepted both messages.
A Plea for Peace
In July 1939, just weeks before the outbreak of the Second World War, Mahatma Gandhi decided to write a direct letter to Adolf Hitler. Writing from his ashram in Wardha, he desperately hoped to prevent a global catastrophe.
"Dear Friend"
Gandhi ji famously began his letter by addressing the German dictator as “Dear Friend”. He explained that this was not a mere formality, as he firmly believed in universal friendliness and harboured no personal foes.
The Heavy Burden
In the brief but powerful message, Mahatma Gandhi reminded Hitler of his immense power to alter history. He stated that Hitler was the only person in the world who could prevent a war capable of reducing humanity to a savage state.
Intercepted by the British
Despite the earnest appeal for non-violence, the letter never reached its intended recipient. British colonial authorities intercepted the message, and just over a month later, German forces invaded Poland.
The Second Attempt
Undeterred by the silence, Gandhi ji wrote a second, much longer letter to Hitler in December 1940. With the war now raging across Europe, he expressed deep frustration at Germany's violent and expansionist actions.
Condemning the Violence
In the second letter, Gandhi ji did not hold back his moral criticism. He explicitly told Hitler that many of his acts were “monstrous and unbecoming of human dignity,” firmly rejecting the brutal methods of Nazism.
A Prophetic Warning
Gandhi ji accurately warned the dictator that relying on extreme violence would ultimately lead to his own ruin. He cautioned that another power would eventually beat Hitler with his own weapons, leaving no proud legacy behind for his people.
)
)
)
)
)